Staunton spectator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1849-1896, 1887-07-06
The New Curate.
BY HARRIET LANE WALLACE.


"You haven't seen him yet? Well that
a pity. He's quite catch, Pm told, young
handsome and single. Why don't you sc
YOUR cap for him, MATTER You've got a
good chance as the rest of them, an
twenty-si is not old by any means.''
She leaned over the garden gate as sh
spoke, this veritable village gossip. I ca
see her now, with her great poke bonnet
from beneath which the clustering gra
ringlets peeped; the. keen blue eyes, tina
seemed to read your very thoughts, tn
trim, little figure clad always in ampl
skirts of quaker gray or somber brown.
Never was there wedding, funeral o
christening in the village without this es
timable lady's presence. What harmless
little body she appeared, and how incapabl
of carrying about that wonderful budget o
information! How nicely she impaired he
knowledge to her listeners, beginning with
"Well, don't mind telling you,'' or
''They do say, but of course you can't be
lieve everything" and ending will
"That's between you and me; it will go nj
farther
was busy in the garden that morning
training some early June roses;my thought
were not the brightest, scarcely in harmon.
Will budt w dc QCCkcQ IN Ou0 91 Ac
brightest mantles. 1t was quite unneces
sary for Mrs. Briggs to remind me of m.
age; was thinking seriously of it. TWEEN
ty-six! not very old to be sure, and yet no
very young to an unmarried woman
l must be content with fewer laurels, les
conquests. l must step out of the field, a.
it were, and leave the romance and ths
day-dreams to younger and falrer girls.
1t mattered little to me whether the new
curate was young and unmarried, or port
ly old fellow with wife and grown
daughters. At heart I disliked this inter
fering old woman who had broken in upol
my reverie.
I thanked her kindly for her advice, tell
ing her that at present had no intention
of setting my cap for anyone, not even th'
new curate; so saying, went back to m.
work and the roses.
"There, Matte, don't get riled. o
course it's nobody's business if you're 60
ing to leave yourself. an old maid, but TAX
my advice and don't spend your time fret
ting and worrying over Bob Preston, 70
he amt worth it nohow."
She shook her head wisely and was OF
before had time to recover from the crue
thrust that had opened the old wound
Robert Preston and the past.
had tried to guard my heart, to trampl
under foot the old love. I could hav,
laughed at my girlish folly as if it were ;
dream until thoughtless word had brough
back the past, like the dead risen to lif
again, or a smouldering fire that needed
but a gentle breeze to make it into burn
ing flame. One by one the roses dropped
from my hands. One by one the binding
tears fell. was only weak woman afte
ali, as, covering my face with my hands,
sobbed, :
Robert, o Robert! Why were yor
false?''
It all came back to me, that visit tt
Aunt Martha, where first met Rober
Preston, young student just returned from
college. | cannot tell you all those bright
happy day dreams; how / loved him anl
waited for the happy day when he would
ask me for that love. He read his answer
in my tell-tale face before my lips uttered
it.
So, engrossed with Roberts society,
took little heed of other matters, scarcely
giving thought to the fact that young
lady, the daughter Of deceased friend O.
my aunt's, was going to make her home
with us. She came. From the moment
| looked upon her lovely face my happiness
was gone. was pretty girl, fair and
fragile, yet one might as well compare a
simple little daisy to full blown poppy OF
a rich red rose as my fral beauty to this
girls exquisite loveliness.
For a time my love was unchanged.
laughed in my foolish heart at my doubts
and fears. At times would find his Sc.
rious eyes wandering from me and resting
on the beautiful face of Kath.
leen Lee. No man could resist that won
drous, fascinating face. She never an
couraged him, but the dropping lids, the
faint flush, the trembling of the little hands
all told painly that she, too, loved him.
How suffered! In my mad jealousy ]
grew to almost hate the child He loved
me before she came with her beautiful
flower-like face, to rob me of that love.
Was she blind that she did not see we were
betrothed? prayed that she might &c
away and leave us to ourselves once more,
and Robert would 60 back to his old fond
ways. His caresses were growing colder,
his kisses lighter. | spoke Of his seeming
neglect; he answered lightly, taking bott
nv hands in his, and looking fondly a.
me:
"Nonsense, Matte! Do you know, my
little girl, that you are growing nearer ane
dearer to me every day?"
For time / was satisfied, trying to bt
content with but share of his love.
We were seated in the garden, one after
noon in the early autumn, Robert, Kath
leen and 1. She was looking UNUSUAL,
handsome in dress of soft India null. NJ,
lover had just paid her a well-merited com
pliment, for which she was about to max
a gracious reply when Aunt Martha cam
to us.
Robert" she said. placing her hani
fondly on his shoulder as she spoke, evil
you gather some grapes for me? 1 find tha
some of the punches hang too high. Th'
girls will go with you and hold the basket.
He arose to comply with her request
Kathleen was at his side in moment, Will
/ refused to join them, feigning sever
headache.
'sThey do not want me,"I reasone.
within myself.
I watched them as they walked ava,
together, he carrying the little wicker bas
ket, and she tossing her bright curls witt
that coquettish air that came so natural t,
her.
I cannot tell you what tempted me to fol
low them; it must have been some evi
genius. Slowly. I followed down the path
way, taking every precaution, however
not to be observed. Seated upon littl,
rustic bench, could see every movemen
Of my lover and Kathleen.
Hew lovely she looked standing in tn
orchard, the sunlight falling athwart tn
lovely upturned face, on which smil
rested! Never was seen fairer vision
Her sleeve of soft texture falling bacl
showed the shapely, outstretched arm.
Sometimes peal of merry laughte
would fall upon my ear. They did not mis-
me-not even Robert; he was content witt
Kathleen.
The basket was full to overfowing, an,
still they fingered. One bunch of lusciou
grapes, the last gathered, was in Robert
hand. He stopped to place it with th
others when their eyes met, their hand
touched. Was / dreaming? Alas, no!
saw him stoop and kiss her fondly.
l waited no longer. With cry of pail
turned and fled to the seclusion of m
own room, where sobbed out the trouble
of my young heart, with only God to hea
me-.